Home Distillation of Alcohol (Homemade Alcohol to Drink) Absinthe There are three basic styles for making absinthe. 1. Add wormwood to a wine and distill off. Soak some wormwood in neutral spirit to colour, and add the two together. 2. Soak wormwood in some neutral alcohol 3. Adding oil extract to neutral alcohol. Of these, (1) is the traditional technique, but (2) is commonly used by "cheaper" manufacturers. Style (3) is usually shunned. Wal writes ... Pernod is Absinthe without the wormwood for legal reasons. If you want to know what it tasted once, macerate wormwood (artemisia absinthium) in the bottle. An article on Absinthe (Scientific American, June 1989, pp112-117) describes a 1855 recipe from Pontarlier, France.

Here is a scaled down version you can try: Macerate 25g wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), 50g anise, and 50g fennel (all finely divided) in 950ml 85%abv in a 2l flask. (Note: no heat was specified for extraction). Add 450ml distilled water. Do a pot still distillation, collecting 950ml of distillate. Separate 400ml of the distillate, add 10g Roman wormwood (Artemisia pontica), 10g hyssop, 5g lemon balm, and macerate at 60C. Filter and reunite with the remaining 550ml and dilute to 74%abv to produce 1litre of Absinthe. Note: I think you use crushed aniseed and fennel seed, as it is the seed that has the strongest flavor. You can see that it is the anise flavor that predominates. Modern "Pernod" and "Ricard" are basically absinthes without the wormwood.

They are now known as a "pastis" (regional for "melange" or mixture). As a substitute for wormwood, the modern drink uses increased amounts of aniseed. Pernod includes aniseed, fennel, hyssop, lemon balm along with lesser amounts of angelica root, star-anise, dittany, juniper, nutmeg, veronica. Different absinthe manufacturers used slightly different ingredients, sometimes using nutmeg and calamus, both of which have purported psychoactive effects. In Culpeper's 'The Complete Herbal', 1653, there is a recipe that looks like the ancestor of Absinthe and which is still relevant, unlike some of the others which include vipers, swallows, roosters and snails! I have redacted it to a 20l (5US gal) quantity.

See - 'Compounds, Spirit and Compound Distilled Waters' 'Spiritus et Aqua Absynthii magis composita Or spirit and water of Wormwood, the greater composition' Absinthe (1653) 5g Cardamon 5g Cubeb pepper (Piper cubeba) Macerate chopped ingredients for at least 12 hours and then distill. Add 1 cup of sugar/litre of distillate. Absinthe was originally about 60%abv, while the above 1653 recipe was intended to be a single pot distillation. ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM (Wormwood) Synonyms : Wormwood; Common Wormwood Definition : Artemisia Absinthium consists of the dried leaves and flowering tops of Artemisia absinthium L. (Fam. Compositae), a shrubby al herb growing in the United States and Canada. It is cultivated in N. Africa, Europe and the U.S.A. The flowering tops are collected during the late summer Artemisia Absinthium yields about 1% of volatile oil containing thujone (absinthol), thujyl alcohol and iso-valeric acid .

It contains, in addition absinthin and a bitter glycoside. Jack recommends the following as very good ... In one litre of undiluted clear spirit (95%) soak for twenty days (shaking once a day) the following: 28 grams wormwood (artemisia absinthium) 28 grams aniseed 4.5 grams licorice root (cut) 1.25 grams citrus peel Just soak the above until the color you want is reached, then filter and bottle. If artemisia absinthium cannot be found, artemisia pontica (roman wormwood), tanacetum vulgare (tansy), salvia officinalis (sage), thuja occidentalis (white cedar), or artemisia vulgaris (mugwort) may also be used in it's place. This is a traditional absinthe recipe from the turn of the century.

As for those worried about the medical effects- recent research has found that the old disease "absinthism" has symptoms and progression remarkably similar to plain old alchoholism, and the amount of thujone (active ingredient in wormwood) in a glass of absinthe is less than one-tenth the amount needed to cause convulsions in rats (when injected). For those interested in making absinthe but unable to find the above plants, thujone is found in most of the Compositae (daisy) family- a little research should find alternates to the above plants. enjoy! Larry cautions ... Jacks Absinthe recipe will not only taste lousy, but is potentially dangerous, because the maceration time he recommends is 19 days too long. All vintage absinthe recipes indicate to macerate the herbs in 85% alcohol for Less than 24 hours, and then distill. If you macerate longer than this, you infuse the alcohol with too many of the harmful properties of the wormwood, and not only will your drink taste nauseatingly bitter, but it can also make you ill.

Also note that modern Pernod is not Absinthe without the wormwood. Pastis is a descendant from Absinthe (Pernod & Ricards way of dealing with the Absinthe ban of 1915), but is an entirely different drink with a different recipe made by different processes. Modern Pernod has more in common with Ouzo than Absinthe. As a side note you can find some wonderful and safe Absinthe recipes at: . Xneon writes : I combed the web for a few days compileing all that i had found with a few modifications we have produced a GREAT recipie!!! Take add 750ml water and potstill for BEST results (i will not try it any other way I used a 1 gallon stove top potstill took a heads of 1/2 oz and then collected about 1000-1200ml blended to 65% and added 1 drop of green food coloring for effect (i just havent steeped any woormwood for color yet) Volodia writes ...

Make you own absinthe,although the use of wormwood in spirits is banned because of its thujone content, although some sources say the quantity is slight and the danger is exaggerated. Similarly Zubrowka or bison grass flavored vodka is modified for the U.S. market because of it contains coumarin which is a blood thinner. I would have thought that because of the high cholesterol diet of the average American this would be useful! Bison grass or sweet grass (hierochloe odorata) is readily available in the U.S. and makes a great flavored vodka - watch that you don't bleed to death though! What does liqueur mean?

definition, meaning and pronunciation (Free English Language Dictionary) alcohol ; alcoholic beverage ; inebriant ; intoxicant (a liquor or brew containing alcohol as the active agent) Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "liqueur"): absinth ; absinthe (strong green liqueur flavored with wormwood and anise) ratafee ; ratafia (sweet liqueur made from wine and brandy flavored with plum or peach or apricot kernels and bitter almonds) pousse-cafe (small drink served after dinner (especially several liqueurs poured carefully so as to remain in separate layers)) Pernod ((registered trademark) a liqueur flavored with anise) pastis (similar to absinthe but containing no wormwood) maraschino ; maraschino liqueur (distilled from fermented juice of bitter wild marasca cherries) kummel (liqueur flavored with caraway seed or cumin) » Spirits Glossary Spirits Glossary The Grape & Food Spirits Glossary From Amarula African Crème to Zaya Rum, you will find almost 1,500 varieties of spirits in Big Red locations.

Regardless of whether you are seeking the ultimate $2,000 bottle of Cognac or need an inexpensive Vodka for the punch at a holiday party, you will find it at Big Red Liquors! Because of our enormous purchasing power and solid belief in providing our customers with reasonable prices, you will find many of our spirits priced from 10 to 25% below the competition. These are not just “sale” items, but Big Red’s everyday low prices. Many of our brands come from difficult to locate sources that are not in every corner store and Big Red’s size also allows us to be one of the first in bringing new and exciting brands to market in our area. Many Big Red employees are specialists in one or more types of spirits and you will find managers with an incredible depth of knowledge in areas such as Scotch, Bourbon, Cognac, Vodka and others. We are happy to help – it is our passion! Absinthe: A once illegal anise based aperitif drink with an infusion of wormwood, considered by some to be hallucinogenic and dangerous. Brands now available are made without all of the dangerous ingredients.

Allspice: A ground spice made from an unripe berry with an aroma reminiscent of a cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg blend. Amaretto: Almond flavored liqueur. Amaretto di Saronno: Italian amaretto produced since 1525. Originally created by a widow as a gift to an artist of the Leonardo da Vinci School of Art. Angostura Bitters: Aromatic bitters originating in Angostura, Venezuela; now produced in Trinidad. Anisette: A licorice tasting liqueur made from the anise seed. Aperitif: Originally referring to wine, but now may mean any liquor taken to stimulate the appetite before a meal. Apricot Brandy: Apricot flavored brandy. Applejack: North American name for apple brandy. Aquavit: Scandinavian grain spirit, usually flavored with caraway and anise. Armagnac: A type of brandy that has been distilled from wine made from grapes grown in the area surrounding the city of Condom, France. Benedictine: An herb flavored liqueur produced by the Benedictine monks of France.

Bitters: A non-alcoholic aromatic combination of herbs, fruits, roots, barks, seeds, and flowers steeped in an alcohol base and then aged. (See Peychauds and Angostura.) Black Raspberry Liqueur: A black raspberry flavored liqueur. (See Chambord.) Blended straight whiskey: A blend consisting of only straight whiskeys. Blended whiskey: A blending of straight whiskeys with either light-bodied whiskeys or with neutral alcohols. Blue Curacao: Blue colored Dutch West Indian Curacao orange liqueur. Produced in Holland. Bottled-in-bond whiskey: At least a 100 proof straight bourbon whiskey that has aged two or more years in a bonded warehouse kept under federal lock and key. All bottled-in-bond whiskey bears a green government stamp. Bourbon Whiskey: American whiskey made by using at least 51% corn grain mash in a wheat, oats, rye, and barley combination. Brandy: A product of the distillation of wine, or fruit in the case of flavored brandies such as peach or cherry. Cognac and Armagnac are special varieties made from grapes grown in specific areas of France.

Cachaca: A Brazilian sugar cane based spirit similar to rum. Calvados: French apple brandy from Normandy. Campari: An Italian brand of bitter aperitif wine. Canadian Whiskey: A light-bodied whiskey balanced so that no one particular mash ingredient is allowed to dominate the flavor. Chambord: A black raspberry flavored liqueur produced in Burgundy, France. Chartreuse: Yellow and green herbal liqueurs made only by the Carthusian monks of La Grande Chartreuse, France. Produced since 1605 from a secret recipe consisting of over 100 alpine herbs. Coco Lopez: A sweet, syrupy, coconut based drink mixer. Non Alcoholic. Coffee Liqueur: Coffee flavored liqueur. Cognac: A type of brandy that has been distilled from wine made from grapes grown in the area surrounding the cities of Cognac and Jarnac. Cointreau: A French made, bitter-sweet orange flavored liqueur. Produced by the Cointreau family since 1849. Cordial: A strong, highly flavored and sweet liquor typically consumed after a meal.

Corn whiskey: A whiskey made from a mash of at least 80% corn. May or may not be aged. Crème: A thick and concentrated infusion of fruit in neutral grain spirits. Commonly made from Cassis, Frambois, but can be from any fruit or nut source. Crème de Banana: Banana flavored liqueur. Crème de Cacao: A white or brown colored liqueur made from cocoa beans, vanilla and spices. Crème de Cassis: A French liqueur made from black currants. Crème de Menthe: A red, green, or white colored, peppermint flavored liqueur. Crème de Framboise: Raspberry-flavored liqueur. Crème de Violette: Violet-flavored liqueur. Curacao: Orange-flavored liqueur, produced mainly in France and the Netherlands, but originating from the Caribbean; an orange flavored liqueur made from the peels of oranges grown on the island of Curacao, in the West Indies. Digestif: A liquor consumed at or after a meal to aid in digestion. Drambuie: A Scotch based, honey flavored liqueur first produced in Skye, Scotland in 1745, now produced in Edinburgh.

Dry Vermouth: French made, herb flavored wine that is used in making drinks such as the Martini and Manhattan. Dubonnet: A French brand of aperitif wine made from aromatics. Everclear: In the United States, Everclear is a brand of grain alcohol (ethanol), available at concentrations of 95% alcohol (190 proof) and 75.5% (151 proof). Eau de Vie: Eau-de-vie (plural eaux-de-vie) is a French term for a colorless brandy, derived from one or more fruits. Literally translated it means “water of life”. Fernet Branca: A bitter, aromatic spirit made from over 40 herbs and spices. Flips: A combination of eggnog and fizz, made with liqueur, egg, sugar and shaved ice. Frangelico: An Italian liqueur made with wild hazelnuts, berries and flowers. Frappe: Any mixture of liqueurs over finely crushed ice. Galliano: A yellow herb and spice liqueur made in Solaro, Italy. Gin: A neutral alcohol base flavored with the juniper berry.

Grain Neutral Spirits: Alcohol distilled from grain at 190 proof. Used in blended whiskeys and for making vodka, gin and other liquors. Grand Marnier: A cognac brandy based liqueur flavored with orange. Grappa: An Italian brandy distilled from the pulp of grapes used in winemaking. Grenadine: A non-alcoholic cherry flavoring used in a variety of drinks such as the Sling or the Shirley Temple. Irish whiskey: A whiskey whose flavor is obtained from the malted barley compon­ent of its mash, made in Ireland. Jigger: also called a shot, a small glass used to measure liquor. Julep: Originally a sweet syrup, now a family of spirit-based cocktails, flavored and decorated with fresh mint. Kahlua: A coffee flavored liqueur made in sunny Mexico. Kirshwasser: Colorless, cherry-flavored eau-de-vie, mainly from France and Switzerland. Kummel: Colorless Dutch liqueur, flavored with caraway. Lillet: French herb-flavored liqueur, based on wine and Armagnac.

Limoncello: A distinctive, premium liqueur made with the juice of fresh lemons from Southern Italy. Liqueur: Distilled spirit flavored with such things as fruit, herbs, coffee, nuts, mint and chocolate. London gin: The driest gin available. Madeira: Fortified wine from the Portuguese island of the same name. Mandarin Napoleon: Belgian, brandy-based liqueur flavored with tangerines. Maraschino: Italian, cherry-flavored liqueur – usually colorless, but may be red. Melon liqueur: Spirit-based, melon-flavored liqueur, (See Midori). Mezcal: Spirit similar to tequila made from one of five permissible Agave plants. Most is made in the state of Oaxaca, but it can be produced elsewhere. The worm found in the bottom of the bottle in some brands originated in the 1940’s as a marketing ploy. Midori: A green colored, melon flavored liqueur made in Japan. Mirabelle: Plum eau-de-vie, or colorless brandy.

Monte Alban: A Mezcal named after an Aztec mountain-top settlement in Oaxaca, Mexico where Mezcal has been produced since the mid 1500’s. True Oaxacan mezcal has an agave cactus worm in each bottle. Muddle: To mash or crush ingredients with a spoon or muddler. Neat: A term referring to liquor that is consumed undiluted by ice, water or mixers. Nocello Walnut: Nocello, from the Emeligia-Romagna region of Italy is a walnut flavored liqueur. Ouzo: An unsweetened anise-flavored liqueur made in Greece since 1888. Pastis: Anise based aperitif, turns cloudy with water, Often known by the brand names Pernod, Ricard or Mon Pastis. Peter Heering Cherry Liqueur: A world renowned cherry flavored liqueur. Produced since 1818 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Peychaud Bitters: Originally created in 1830 by Antoine Peychaud in Haiti, now produced in New Orleans by the Sazerac Company. Pimms: Pimm’s No.

1 is a gin-based liquor made in England from dry gin, liqueur, fruit juices and spices. Pisco: A Peruvian grape based brandy, often used to make a Pisco Sour. Pousse-Café: A drink poured in layers to float on top of one another, which gives its name to a narrow, straight-sided stemmed glass. Prisonniere: Literally “prisoner”. When an apple or pear is grown inside a bottle which is then filled with either Calvados or Poire William. Proof: An American system for measuring alcohol content by volume. 80 proof equals 40% alcohol by volume (ABV). Rickey: A spirit-based cocktail including lemon or lime juice and soda water. Roses: A sweetened West Indian lime juice produced in St. Albans, England. Non-Alcoholic. Rum: Spirit made from the fermentation and distillation of sugar cane. Light, medium, and heavy bodied flavor variations exist as do variations in color when not clear. Often flavored with spices or fruit flavors. Rye whiskey: Mainly American and Canadian whiskey which must be made from a mash containing at least 51 percent rye.

Sake: Japanese rice wine, may be served warm or chilled. Sambuca: Italian, anise flavored liqueur often served flaming with coffee beans. Schnapps: A peppermint flavored liqueur. Many flavored varieties of peppermint schnapps exist, such as root beer or peach; all have peppermint as the base flavoring. Scotch Whisky: Blends are a mixture of about 40 percent malt and 60 percent grain whiskey and single malts are 100% from a single distillery. Slivovitz: A Croatian version of plum brandy. Sloe Gin: Liqueur made by steeping sloe berries in gin – previously homemade but now available commercially. Sour: A spirit-based cocktail containing sugar, and lemon or lime juice. Sour Mash Whiskey: A broad category of whiskey where a portion of old mash is mixed in with new to help advance the character and smoothness of the flavor. Straight Whiskey: A whiskey that is distilled and then aged at least two years without blending. Strega: Italian, herb-flavored liqueur made with over 50 botanicals and colored with saffron.

Sugar syrup: A sweetener for cocktails, made by dissolving sugar in boiling water. Sweet Vermouth: An Italian made, herb flavored wine. Used in making drinks such as Rob Roy’s and Manhattans. Tequila: Mexican spirit distilled from the blue agave plant, a succulent. Tequila can only be made in the state of Jalisco. Generally available in three categories: Blanco (no wood aging), Reposado and Anejo. Tia Maria: Popular, Jamaican rum-based coffee liqueur. Triple sec: Colorless, orange-flavored liqueur. Vermouth: Wine-based aperitif flavored with extracts of wormwood – both sweet and dry vermouths are widely used in cocktails. Vodka: Colorless, grain-based spirit, originally from Russia and Poland. Now made from virtually any grain, many fruits and potatoes as well and available in dozens of flavors. Whiskey: Spirit distilled from grain in either Ireland or North America. Corn, rye and barley are all used. Whisky: A spirit from Scotland traditionally distilled from grain in the lowlands and barley in the rest of the country. Also known as Scotch Whisky.

A Modern Herbal | Wormwoods [ Top ] [ Top of Wormwood, Common ] ---Description--- The root is perennial, and from it arise branched, firm, leafy stems, sometimes almost woody at the base. The flowering stem is 2 to 2 1/2 feet high and whitish, being closely covered with fine silky hairs. The leaves, which are also whitish on both sides from the same reason, are about 3 inches long by 1 1/2 broad, cut into deeply and repeatedly (about three times pinnatifid), the segments being narrow (linear) and blunt. The leaf-stalks are slightly winged at the margin. The small, nearly globular flowerheads are arranged in an erect, leafy panicle, the leaves on the flower-stalks being reduced to three, or even one linear segment, and the little flowers themselves being pendulous and of a greenish-yellow tint. They bloom from July to October. The ripe fruits are not crowned by a tuft of hairs, or pappus, as in the majority of the Compositae family. The leaves and flowers are very bitter, with a characteristic odour, resembling that of thujone.

The root has a warm and aromatic taste. ---Cultivation--- Wormwood likes a shady situation, and is easily propagated by division of roots in the autumn, by cuttings, or by seeds sown in the autumn soon after they are ripe. No further care is needed than to keep free from weeds. Plant about 2 feet apart each way. [ Top ] [ Top of Wormwood, Common ] ---Parts Used--- The whole herb - leaves and tops - gathered in July and August, when the plant is in flower and dried. Collect only on a dry day, after the sun has dried off the dew. Cut off the upper green portion and reject the lower parts of the stems, together with any discoloured or insect-eaten leaves. Tie loosely in bunches of uniform size and length, about six stalks to a bunch, and spread out in shape of a fan, so that the air can get to all parts. Hang over strings, in the open, on a fine, sunny, warm day, but in half-shade, otherwise the leaves will become tindery; the drying must not be done in full sunlight, or the aromatic properties will be partly lost.

Aromatic herbs should be dried at a temperature of about 70 degrees. If no sun is available, the bunches may be hung over strings in a covered shed, or disused greenhouse, or in a sunny warm attic, provided there is ample ventilation, so that the moist heated air may escape. The room may also be heated with a coke or anthracite stove, care being taken that the window is kept open during the day. If after some days the leaves are crisp and the stalks still damp, hang the bunches over a stove, when the stalks will quickly finish drying. Uniformity in size in the bunches is important, as it facilitates packing. When the drying process is completed, pack away at once in airtight boxes, as otherwise the herbs will absorb about 12 per cent moisture from the air. If sold to the wholesale druggists in powdered form, rub through a sieve as soon as thoroughly dry, before the bunches have had time to absorb any moisture, and pack in tins or bottles at once. ---Constituents--- The chief constituent is a volatile oil, of which the herb yields in distillation from 0.5 to 1.0 per cent.

It is usually dark green, or sometimes blue in colour, and has a strong odour and bitter, acrid taste. The oil contains thujone (absinthol or tenacetone), thujyl alcohol (both free and combined with acetic, isovalerianic, succine and malic acids), cadinene, phellandrene and pinene. The herb also contains the bitter glucoside absinthin, absinthic acid, together with tannin, resin, starch, nitrate of potash and other salts. ---Medicinal Action and Uses--- Tonic, stomachic, febrifuge, anthelmintic. A nervine tonic, particularly helpful against the falling sickness and for flatulence. It is a good remedy for enfeebled digestion and debility. [ Top ] [ Top of Wormwood, Common ] ---Preparations--- Fluid extract, 1/2 to 1 drachm. Wormwood Tea, made from 1 OZ.

of the herb, infused for 10 to 12 minutes in 1 pint of boiling water, and taken in wineglassful doses, will relieve melancholia and help to dispel the yellow hue of jaundice from the skin, as well as being a good stomachic, and with the addition of fixed alkaline salt, produced from the burnt plant, is a powerful diuretic in some dropsical cases. The ashes yield a purer alkaline salt than most other vegetables, except Beanstalks and Broom. The juice of the larger leaves which grow from the root before the stalk appears has been used as a remedy for jaundice and dropsy, but it is intensely nauseous. A light infusion of the tops of the plant, used fresh, is excellent for all disorders of the stomach, creating an appetite, promoting digestion and preventing sickness after meals, but it is said to produce the contrary effect if made too strong. The flowers, dried and powdered, are most effectual as a vermifuge, and used to be considered excellent in agues. The essential oil of the herb is used as a worm-expeller, the spirituous extract being preferable to that distilled in water.

The leaves give out nearly the whole of their smell and taste both to spirit and water, but the cold water infusions are the least offensive. The intensely bitter, tonic and stimulant qualities have caused Wormwood not only to be an ingredient in medicinal preparations, but also to be used in various liqueurs, of which absinthe is the chief, the basis of absinthe being absinthol, extracted from Wormwood. Wormwood, as employed in making this liqueur, bears also the name 'Wermuth' - preserver of the mind - from its medicinal virtues as a nervine and mental restorative. If not taken habitually, it soothes spinal irritability and gives tone to persons of a highly nervous temperament. Suitable allowances of the diluted liqueur will promote salutary perspiration and may be given as a vermifuge. Inferior absinthe is generally adulterated with copper, which produces the characteristic green colour. The drug, absinthium, is rarely employed, but it might be of value in nervous diseases such as neurasthenia, as it stimulates the cerebral hemispheres, and is a direct stimulant of the cortex cerebri.

When taken to excess it produces giddiness and attacks of epileptiform convulsions. Absinthium occurs in the British Pharmacopoeia in the form of extract, infusion and tincture, and is directed to be extracted also from A. maritima, the Sea Wormwood, which possesses the same virtues in a less degree, and is often more used as a stomachic than the Common Wormwood. Commercially this often goes under the name of Roman Wormwood, though that name really belongs to A. Pontica. All three species were used, as in Culpepper's time. Dr. John Hill (1772) recommends Common Wormwood in many forms. He says: 'The Leaves have been commonly used, but the flowery tops are the right part. These, made into a light infusion, strengthen digestion, correct acidities, and supply the place of gall, where, as in many constitutions, that is deficient. One ounce of the Flowers and Buds should be put into an earthen vessel, and a pint and a half of boiling water poured on them, and thus to stand all night.

In the morning the clear liquor with two spoonfuls of wine should be taken at three draughts, an hour and a half distance from one another. Whoever will do this regularly for a week, will have no sickness after meals, will feel none of that fulness so frequent from indigestion, and wind will be no more troublesome; if afterwards, he will take but a fourth part of this each day, the benefit will be lasting.' He further tells us that if an ounce of these flowers be put into a pint of brandy and let to stand six weeks, the resultant tincture will in a great measure prevent the increase of gravel - and give great relief in gout. 'The celebrated Baron Haller has found vast benefit by this; and myself have very happily followed his example.' [ Top ] [ Top of Wormwood, Sea ] ---Part Used--- The flowering tops and young shoots are used, collected and dried in the same manner as Wormwood. ---Medicinal Action and Uses--- The plant possesses the same properties as the otherWormwoods, but is less powerful. It is a bitter tonic and aromatic.

Although it is not now employed in regular medical practice, it is often made use of by country people for intermittent fever, and for various other medicinal purposes instead of the true Wormwood. Thornton, in his Family Herbal, tells us that: 'beat up with thrice its weight of fine sugar, it is made up into a conserve ordered by the London College, and may be taken where the other preparations disgust too much.' It acts as a tonic and is good in worm cases, and Culpepper gives the following uses for it: 'Boiling water poured upon it produces an excellent stomachic infusion, but the best way is taking it in a tincture made with brandy. Hysteric complaints have been completely cured by the constant use of this tincture. In the scurvy and in the hypochondriacal disorders of studious, sedentary men, few things have a greater effect: for these it is best in strong infusion. The whole blood and all the juices of the body are effected by taking this herb.

It is often used in medicine instead of the Roman Wormwood, though it falls far short of it in virtue.' See: Homemade Liqueurs with Herbs Homemade Liqueurs with Herbs Herbs, spice and everything nice for after-dinner liqueurs and other alcoholic drinks. By Leah A. Zeldes Chamomile Flower Wine When it comes to stimulating beverages, Americans tend to think first of grain, then perhaps grapes. But in much of the rest of the world, herbs play a potent part in alcoholic drinks, particularly in pungent liqueurs and bitters meant to pique the appetite before dinner or aid digestion afterward. When you enliven your homemade liqueurs with the complex, taste-pleasing flavors of herbs, you'll be in good company. Cafe patrons in France quaff refreshing herbal apéritifs made from wine, such as Lillet and Dubonnet. Throughout Europe, wormwood-infused vermouth is more than just a bottle to wave over a martini glass. And throughout Italy, Germany and Hungary, among other places, piquant herbal tonics frequently provide a satisfying finish to meals.

The most notorious herb-flavored alcoholic drink is absinthe, a bitter green liqueur distilled from wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). Popular particularly among artists in European cafes in the early 1900s, absinthe at that time had high levels of the compound thujone, which caused hallucinogenic effects and brain damage; master painter Van Gogh’s bouts of apparent madness were attributed to his consumption of absinthe. Banned about the time of World War I, absinthe is now making a comeback overseas since the European Union introduced new directives for production and sale of low-thujone absinthe in 1981. It’s always been legal in Spain; recently the French have begun producing the “green fairy” once again. One French brand, Versinthe, even exports a version to the United States, replacing wormwood with its cousin mugwort (A. vulgaris). The product, which contains some 20 other plants, won several American spirits awards in 2001. The Character of an Herbed Liqueur Many herbal liqueurs have quite complex characteristics.

A blend of 130 plants — including sweet flag, peppermint, hyssop, lemon balm, angelica, wormwood and cardamom — flavors Green Chartreuse, which has been produced by monks of the Carthusian order in the French Alps since 1764. Only three of the brothers are said to know the secret recipe. The French Bénédictine, based on a Renaissance monk’s recipe, includes aloe, angelica, coriander, hyssop, juniper, myrrh and saffron among its 27 botanical ingredients. The Hungarian bitters Unicum features more than 40 herbs and spices. Jägermeister, an assertively herbal German bitters, gets its taste from a complex blend of 56 herbs, fruits and spices. Strega, one of the many popular bitters in Italy, obtains its yellow color from saffron, one of some 70 herbs and spices in the mixture, which is produced in small pot stills. The better-known Campari contains wormwood, gentian and quinine, among other things (its bright red color, once from the cochineal insect, today comes from artificial coloring).

Of course, herbs feature in some basic alcoholic products, too. The astringent flavor of gin comes from juniper berries and a variety of herbs. The popular, aromatic brand Tanqueray, for example, includes angelica and coriander in its mixture. Britain’s Pimm’s No. 1, developed in 1840, adds numerous herbs, as well as quinine, to the already herb-flavored gin. Tequila, distilled from the agave plant, provides the base for Damiana, a Mexican liqueur infused with the herb of the same name (Turnera diffusa). The herb’s reputation as an aphrodisiac dates back to the Mayans. It comes in a bottle shaped like a pregnant woman, modeled after the Incan goddess of fertility. Simpler drinks are often made with herbs as well. A fragrant, green-gold liqueur permeated with wild thyme is a favorite after-dinner drink in Provence. Russians and Poles make toasts with icy, herb-infused vodkas. Common flavorings include tarragon and buffalo or sweet grass (Hierochloe odorata).

Add a bit of fresh flavor from your own garden with these suggestions or other favorites for lively refreshment. Leah A. Zeldes is food editor of Chicago’s Lerner Newspapers. Absinthe, Buy Absinthe, Vintage Absinth Absinthe is flavoured distilled liquor, emerald green in colour, turning to cloudy, opalescent white when mixed with water. Absinthe inspired many prominent artists, writers and poets. Just to name a few - Vincent Van Gogh, Oscar Wilde, Manet, Ernest Hemingway - in fact his masterpiece " For Whom The Bell Tolls " was written under the influence of "The Green Fairy". Absinthe was first produced commercially in 1797 by Henry-Louis Pernod, who purchased the formula from a French exile living in Switzerland. Wormwood Artemisia Absinthium is the chief flavouring ingredient, native to Europe and Asia.; other aromatic ingredients include aniseed, licorice, hyssop, fennel, angelica root, star aniseed...

Wormwood is a long-lived plant, with greyish-green leaves and the flowers have a greenish-yellow tint, and like leaves give off a strong aromatic odor and are bitter to the taste. Our absinthe contains the same amount of thujone found in the 19th century absinthe. Absinthe with Wormwood Fruit Brandies, Liqueurs, & Grappa | Caddell & Williams Caddell & Williams Fruit Brandy Liqueurs Absinthe Grappa Fruit Brandy Craft-method fruit brandies are made by carefully fermenting a batch of whole or crushed fruit, then distilling the results on a pot-still. Using craft methods of distillation captures the rich complexity of the fruit itself. Unaged fruit brandy is also called by the French term eau-de-vie, “water of life.” GERMAIN-ROBIN Heirloom Apple Brandy A real delight: clean, pure, complex, and wonderful combination of delicacy and great apple flavor. Distilled from heirloom apple cultivars (such as Ribston Pippin and Arkansas Black) grown in Mendocino County's famed Anderson Valley, distilled on two of Germain-Robin's antique cognac stills.

Depth, unusual length (Germain-Robin`s hallmark), and plenty of liveliness, without the dead and often rough quality displayed by most French Calvados. 750 ml / 40% abv Add to cart GERMAIN-ROBIN Apple Brandy XO Germain-Robin has distilled apples since 1992, and began releasing small bottlings in 1998. The XO is a single barrel drawn from our early distillations, deep and very complex, with none of the heaviness that so often deadens old French Calvados. 750 ml / 40.2% abv Add to cart Liqueurs Fruit-based liqueurs are made by a maceration of fruit in spirits, or by adding brandy to a fruit juice or to a wine or cider made from fruit, which is called “fortification”. Brining a liqueur to roughly 20% alcohol preserves the rich taste of its fruit and keeps the liqueur from oxidizing. Getting the percentage right is a tricky line to draw. Good liqueurs capture fruit’s wonderful lusciousness without being overly sweet, which almost all big brands are.

Many well-known liqueurs are over 30% sugar; almost all of them save money by using mediocre fortification material. Creme de Poete Stunningly rich & complex. There are some 200 bottles in inventory, and when they are sold, it's gone forever. Based on aged pear brandy, some of it going back 20 years, it includes tiny amounts of macerated distillery exotica: dried and fresh fruit, nuts, even sandalwood. Dry, deep-toned, & delicate. Hardly any sugar, it's like a wonderful sherry. 375 ml / 25% abv Photo © Tina Rupp. Absinthe An anise-flavored spirit formerly banned in the United States. It’s flavored with such botanicals as wormwood, green anise and fennel seeds. Agave nectar A rich, sweet syrup made from the sap of the cactus-like agave plant. Allspice dram Also known as pimento dram; a rum-based liqueur infused with Jamaican allspice berries. St. Elizabeth and The Bitter Truth are good brands. Amaro A bittersweet Italian herbal liqueur often served as an after-dinner drink.

Angostura bitters A brand of concentrated aromatic bitters created in Angostura, Venezuela, in 1824 from a secret combination of herbs and spices. Aperol A low-proof Italian aperitif flavored with bitter orange, rhubarb and gentian. Apfelkorn A low-proof apple schnapps made by blending a wheat-based spirit with sugar and fresh apples. Apple brandy A distilled fermented apple cider that is aged in oak barrels. Most of the brandy is bottled at 80 proof, but bonded apple brandy, which is preferable in cocktails because of its concentrated green-apple flavor, is 100 proof. Applejack An American apple brandy that’s blended with neutral spirits. Apricot brandy A sweet brandy-based amber liqueur flavored with apricots. Aquavit A clear, grain- or potato-based Scandinavian spirit flavored with caraway seeds and other botanicals, such as fennel, anise and citrus peel. Averna A bitter Italian liqueur flavored with herbs and citrus peel.

Barolo Chinato An Italian digestif made from Nebbiolo-based wine (produced in Piedmont’s Barolo zone) and various herbs and spices, including cardamom, rhubarb and quinine (china). Bärenjäger An intensely honey-flavored proprietary German liqueur. Batavia Arrack A clear spirit from Java that is made from fermented sugarcane and red rice. Becherovka A bittersweet liqueur produced in the Czech Republic from the recipe that pharmacist Josef Becher used to formulate his apothecary bitters in 1807. Belle de Brillet A French liqueur made by infusing Cognac with macerated ripe Alsatian pears. Bénédictine A brandy-based herbal liqueur derived from a recipe developed by a French monk in 1510. Bianco vermouth An aromatic, sweet Italian white vermouth traditionally served on the rocks as an aperitif. Bitters A concentrated tincture of bitter and aromatic herbs, roots and spices that adds complexity to drinks.

Varieties include orange, grapefruit, rhubarb and aromatic bitters, the best known of which is Angostura, created in Angostura, Venezuela, in 1824. Germany’s Bitter Truth makes bitters in traditional flavors as well as unusual ones like celery and chocolate. Fee Brothers bitters, which come in 12 flavors, have been made in Rochester, New York, for more than 60 years. Peychaud’s bitters have bright anise and cranberry flavors; the recipe dates to 19th-century New Orleans. Bonal Gentiane-Quina A slightly bitter French aperitif wine infused with gentian root and cinchona bark, which contains quinine. Bonded Whiskey A whiskey that’s been produced by a single distillery, distilled during a single season, aged a minimum of four years, bottled at 100 proof and stored in a "bonded" warehouse under U.S. government supervision. Cachaça A potent Brazilian spirit distilled from sugarcane juice. Calvados A cask-aged brandy made in the Normandy region of France from apples and sometimes pears.

Campari A potent, bright red Italian aperitif made from fruit, herbs and spices. Cane Syrup A very sweet, thick syrup made by evaporating the water from sugarcane juice. Carpano Antica Formula A rich and complex crimson-colored sweet Italian vermouth. Chartreuse A spicy French herbal liqueur made from more than 100 botanicals; green Chartreuse is more potent than the honey-sweetened yellow one. Cherry Heering A Danish brandy-based cherry liqueur. Cherry Kijafa A sweet Danish cherry wine that’s fortified with brandy. Cocchi Aperitivo Americano A low-alcohol, wine-based aperitif infused with citrus, herbs such as gentian and quinine-rich cinchona bark. Cognac An oak-aged brandy made from grapes grown in France’s Charente region. VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) Cognac must be aged a minimum of four years in French oak barrels. Cointreau A French triple sec that is made by macerating and distilling sun-dried sweet and bitter orange peels. Crème de cassis A sweet, black currant-flavored liqueur.

Crème de violette A sweet, violet-flavored and -colored liqueur. Créole Shrubb A potent liqueur made by infusing a blend of Martinican rums with bitter orange peel and pulp and Caribbean spices. Curaçao A rum-based orange liqueur flavored with Creole spices and bitter orange peels. Cynar A pleasantly bitter Italian liqueur made from 13 herbs and plants, including artichokes. Dimmi A fruity and floral liqueur infused with licorice, vanilla, bitter orange and peach. Drambuie A whisky-based Scottish liqueur flavored with honey, herbs and spices. Dubonnet A wine-based, quinine-enhanced aperitif that comes in two varieties. The rouge is full-bodied. The drier blanc is a good substitute for dry vermouth. Eau-de-vie A clear, unaged fruit brandy. Classic varieties include framboise (raspberry), poire (pear), abricot (apricot), kirsch (cherry) and mirabelle (plum). Fernet-Branca A potent, bitter Italian digestif made from 27 herbs.

Fee Brothers bitters A brand of bitters made in Rochester, New York, for more than 60 years. Classic flavors include orange and peach; grapefruit is a newer flavor. Galliano A yellow Italian liqueur made with up to 30 herbs, berries and flowers, including licorice, anise and vanilla. Genever Photo © Tina Rupp. Genever A clear, botanically rich, malted grain-based spirit from Holland. Oude refers to the maltier old-style; lighter, less malty versions are called jonge. Grenadine A sweet red syrup made from pomegranate juice and sugar (see the Homemade Grenadine recipe ). Gum Syrup A simple syrup that’s been thickened with gum arabic, a natural gum made from the sap of acacia trees. Herbsaint An anise-flavored absinthe substitute produced in New Orleans. Kirsch Short for kirschwasser; an unaged brandy or eau-de-vie produced by pot-distilling crushed cherries and their pits. Kümmel A grain-based liqueur first distilled in Holland in the late 1500s.

It’s flavored with cumin, caraway and fennel. Licor 43 A citrus-and-vanilla-flavored Spanish liqueur made from a combination of 43 herbs and spices. Lillet A wine-based French aperitif flavored with orange peel and quinine. The lesser-known rouge variety is sweeter than the more widely available blanc. Limoncello An intensely flavored Italian liqueur made from lemon peels soaked in neutral spirits, then sweetened with sugar. Madeira A fortified wine from the island of Madeira, usually named for one of four grape varieties: sercial (the driest), verdelho, bual or malmsey, which are progressively sweeter. Maraschino liqueur Photo © Tina Rupp. Maraschino liqueur A clear Italian liqueur, the best of which is distilled from sour marasca cherries and their pits, aged in ash barrels, then sweetened with sugar. Marsala A Sicilian fortified wine; styles include secco (dry), which is often served as an aperitif, and semisecco (semisweet) and dolce (sweet), which are commonly served as dessert wines.

Mead A fermented honey-based beverage that is often flavored with herbs, spices or flowers. Metaxa A greek brandy sweetened with Muscat wine; aged up to 30 years. Mezcal An agave-based spirit with a smoky flavor that comes from roasting the agave hearts in pits before fermentation. The best mezcal is made in Mexico’s Oaxaca region. Navan A Cognac infused with black Madagascar vanilla. Nocino An Italian or Swiss liqueur traditionally made from brandy or grappa, unripe walnuts, sugar and spices. Noilly Prat rouge A bittersweet red vermouth from the south of France made from a secret mixture of herbs and spices, including saffron, quinine and cloves. Orange Bitters A concentrated infusion of neutral alcohol, orange peel, herbs and spices such as cardamom Orgeat A sweet, nonalcoholic syrup made from almonds or almond extract, sugar and rose or orange flower water. Overproof Rum Also known as 151-proof rum, a high-octane spirit that’s often used for flaming drinks. Parfait Amour A purple French liqueur flavored with orange, violets and vanilla.

Pastis A licorice-flavored French spirit that turns cloudy when mixed with water. It’s similar to absinthe but sweeter and lower in alcohol. Pernod A French producer of a liqueur made from the essential oils of star anise and fennel combined with herbs, spices, sugar and a neutral spirit. Pernod recently rereleased their absinthe, which, like all absinthes, had been banned in the United States since 1912. Peychaud’s bitters Photo © Tina Rupp. Peychaud’s bitters A brand of bitters with bright anise and cranberry flavors; the recipe dates to 19th-century New Orleans. Pimm’s No. 1 A gin-based English aperitif often served with ginger beer or lemonade. Pineau des Charentes A low-proof French spirit made by combining unfermented grape juice and young Cognac, then briefly aging in oak. Pisco A clear brandy distilled from grapes in the wine-producing regions of Peru and Chile Poire Williams A pear eau-de-vie, usually made in Switzerland or the Alsace region of France.

Pommeau de Normandie A French aperitif spirit made by adding fresh-pressed apple juice to young Calvados, then aging it in oak. Port A fortified wine from the Douro region of Portugal. Styles include fruity, young ruby port; richer, nuttier tawny; thick-textured, oak-aged late bottled vintage (LBV); and decadent vintage port, made from the best grapes in the best vintages. Dry white port is often served chilled, as an aperitif. Punt e Mes A spicy, orange-accented sweet Italian vermouth fortified with bitters. Rhum agricole An aromatic rum made in the French West Indies from sugarcane juice. When aged from one to six months, it is bottled as white rhum agricole, or rhum blanc; aged for a minimum of three years, it can be sold as aged rhum agricole, or rhum vieux. Root Liqueur A sugarcane-distilled liqueur flavored with birch bark, smoked black tea, citrus peels, cloves and other spices. Art in the Age, in Philadelphia, is the main producer.

Rye whiskey A primarily rye-based distilled spirit, often blended with corn mash and barley. American straight rye whiskey is produced from a mash of at least 51 percent rye, aged in new charred oak barrels for at least two years and diluted with nothing but water. Sherry A fortified wine from Spain’s Jerez region. Varieties include dry styles like fino and manzanilla; nuttier, richer amontillado and oloroso; and viscous sweet Pedro Ximénez (PX) and cream sherry. East India sherry falls between an oloroso and a PX in style. Shochu An unaged or lightly aged, clear East Asian spirit distilled most commonly from rice, barley, buckwheat and/or a variety of sweet potato. Sloe gin A bittersweet liqueur produced by infusing gin or a neutral spirit with sloe berries and sugar. St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram An Austrian rum-based liqueur infused with Jamaican allspice berries. St-Germain elderflower liqueur A French liqueur made by blending macerated elderflower blossoms with eau-de-vie. It has hints of pear, peach and grapefruit zest.

Strega An Italian liqueur infused with about 70 herbs and spices, including saffron, which gives it a golden yellow color. Triple sec An orange-flavored liqueur that is similar to curaçao but not as sweet. Cointreau, created in France in 1875, is the most famous. Tuaca A brandy-based Italian liqueur flavored with vanilla and citrus. Velvet Falernum A low-alcohol, sugarcane-based liqueur from Barbados flavored with clove, almond and lime. Vermouth An aromatic fortified wine. The dry variety is used in martinis. sweet vermouth, which is usually red, is often used for Manhattans. Bianco, or blanc, vermouth is an aromatic, sweet white vermouth traditionally served on the rocks. Zwack An intense Hungarian herbal liqueur produced since 1790 from a secret blend of more than 40 herbs and spices. Advertisement Absinthe | Define Absinthe at Dictionary.com absinthe noun 1.

a green, aromatic liqueur that is 68 percent alcohol, is made with wormwood and other herbs, and has a bitter, licorice flavor: now banned in most Western countries. 2. 1605-15; < French < Latin absinthium wormwood < Greek apsínthion Related forms Examples from the Web for absinthe Expand Contemporary Examples When the absinthe arrives at our table, I finally accept just how cold the real James Joyce trail in Trieste really is. British Dictionary definitions for absinthe Expand a potent green alcoholic drink, technically a gin, originally having high wormwood content 2. another name for wormwood (sense 1) Word Origin C15: via French and Latin from Greek apsinthion wormwood Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.

1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for absinthe Expand n. also absinth, alcoholic liqueur distilled from wine mixed with wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), 1842, from French absinthe, "essence of wormwood," from Latin absinthum "wormwood," from Greek apsinthion, perhaps from Persian (cf. Persian aspand, of the same meaning). The plant so called in English from c.1500 (Old English used the word in the Latin form). Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper Absinthe Distilleries around the world, Swiss, German and French Click to see products The Combier Distillery The Combier Distillery, located in the centre of the Loire Valley is where the Jade Liqueurs absinthes are made.

The distillery still uses two original copper alambics (shown in photo), dating back to around 1870, that were purchased from the Pernod fils distillery after the French absinthe ban and are now employed to create the Jade absinthe reproductions. Click to see products The Matter-Luginbühl Distillery The founder of the Matter-Luginbühl distillery, Ernst Luginbühl-Bögli originally raised cows in Kallnach, a small German-speaking Swiss town, located between Neuchatel and Bern. Because of his location, he had many commercial contacts in the Val-de-Travers, only 50 kilometers away. This region was not only known for watches and absinthe, but famous for cattle - the town of Boveresse was even named in their honour. The family story says that at the end of the 1920's, when searching for ideas for products, Ernst traded a prime Simmental cow for an old local absinthe recipe. It was said to have turned up recently in a search of old business papers, in the midst of the recent Swiss absinthe legalization publicity.

The distillery also offer to distil local farmer's excess fruits into low-yield eau-de-vies, complete with custom bottling and personal labels. The familiar taste of the Kallnacher Absinthe makes us wonder if they had put their old recipe into use earlier than they claim and might have been responsible some of the 'clandestine, farmer-made' la Bleues that have surfaced over the past years. They are now responsible for distilling our limited run Blanche Traditionelle "Brut d'alambic" still-proof series; the 2006 International Wine and Spirit Competition gold medal winner Absinthe Duplais, Absinthe Brevans, with its Giger-art label; Mansinthe, created for the rocker-absintheur, Marilyn Manson, A O Spare and our very own Enigma Verte Suisse. Click to see products Gaudentia Persoz Gaudentia uses the 50-liter alambic seen in this photo, which was hand-made for her by her husband and the old recipe has been updated and modified to please more modern tastes.

Her alambic is heated by direct flame, as opposed to bain-marie, which contributes to its 'clandestine la Bleue' style. Named La Ptite Absinthe du Val-du-Travers (the 'e' has been left out of the spelling of 'Petite') - it was once one of the 'code-names' that Swiss locals used to be served an illegal absinthe in a bar without attracting un-due attention from the authorities. Click to see products Artemisia Distillery - Claude-Alain Bugnon Claude-Alain Bugnon was the first clandestine distiller granted legal status by the Swiss government in the spring of 2005. For years he had been responsible for a certain quantity of bootlegged absinthe that brought so much attention and status to this small region. His main product is La Clandestine Click to see products The Paul Devoille Distillery The Distillerie Paul Devoille is located in Fougerolles, Haut Saone in North East France, close to the Alsace region.

It was founded in 1859 by Xavier Devoille, the father of Paul, and is considered one of the top 10 distilleries in France for fruit eau-de-vie. It was purchased in 1985 by René de Miscault and is now run by his son, Hugues. Fougerolles is the French capital of cherry eau-de-vie, known as 'kirsch,' however, distilleries like Devoille produced absinthe in great quantities from the end of the 19th century up to 1915, mostly in bulk following specific recipes for regional absinthes. The demand for absinthe was so great at the time that more famous distilleries could not keep up with production, and absinthe was 'imported' from Fougerolles to other French cities (including Pontarlier) to be bottled and labeled with local names.

LDF commissioned Hugues to make an exclusive absinthe in 2004 and Enigma verte de Fougerolles became an instant success and was soon followed by Enigma Blanche de Fougerolles, the first absinthe made directly following a known historic and openly published recipe found in 19th century French distiller's manuals. Click to see products The Kübler Distillery - Blackmint The Kübler Distillery, founded in 1863 by the great grandfather of Yves Kübler, became one of the most famous Swiss absinthe distilleries in the Val-de-Travers. Yves took up the trail of the Green Fairy once more in 1990 when he acquired an old vineyard house, installed an imposing copper retort still and established the Distillerie Blackmint. Using an old family recipe, Kübler first distilled a pastis-like aniseed aperitif - "La Rincette" (made without the then illegal ingredient, wormwood) and went to work in secret on a genuine absinthe.

On 10 October 2001, exactly 91 years and three days after the start of the Swiss prohibition, his first objective was reached: Yves Kübler distilled and sold his first 500 litres of "Extrait d'Absinthe Kübler". Kübler uses only hand-harvested wormwood from local fields. Click to see products Eichelberger Distillery The Eichelberger (in English - Acorn Mountain) Distillery is located in southeast Germany in the picturesque and forested Bavarian region called Oberpfälzer Seenland, in the town of Taxöldern. The distillery is a family run, hobbyist enterprise owned by Dr. Lili and Rudi Wild. This tiny, yet modern distillery is capable of distilling only 30 liters at a time, but always with utmost care and attention to quality. The Wilds are passionate advocates of fine liqueurs and eau-de-vie, and were enthusiastic when approached with the idea of making a 'specialist's' absinthe under their distillery's name, which has now become the first modern, true distilled German absinthe.

Fischer Distillery Founded in Vienna, Austria in 1875 by Friedrich Fischer and family run for 5 generations. The distillery still uses alambics that were installed in 1914. Though no concrete evidence exists that absinthe was produced in this distillery, it is believed that absinthe was indeed made in Austria, and that it was never banned 1923 at the same time as Germany, as once thought. This distillery produces a range of fine eaux-de-vies (schnapps), along with being responsible for the first completely distilled and naturally colored absinthe, ever made in Austria, Absinthe Montmartre. Click to see products Habitation Saint-Etienne - Simon Distillery The historic Habitation Saint-Etienne was purchased by the Hayot family, who were already owners of the Simon Distillery (one of the last eight distilleries still functioning in Martinique), in 1994. Their dream was to restore this 19th distillery and sugar cane plantation back to its former glory. The specialized 'creole-style' copper stills found there were moved to the Simon Distillery and restored after years of neglect and damage from hurricanes.

The Habitation Saint-Etienne now serves for blending and aging fine 'agricole rhums,' perserving the style that gave Saint-Etienne its century-long reputation. It now produces 10% of the entire local market for white rhum and 15% for 'old' rhum. Their rhum blanc 'Cuvée de l'an 2000' was the first white rhum ever in the world to be proposed as a 'vintage' rhum. Their 'vieux' rhums continue to win medals and are among the best of their type. Liqueurs de France is proud to become their new UK distributor and offer a sample of their exceptional products to our customers who have come to appreciate our commitment to only the finest. Click to see products Absintherie Bourbonnaise, Vichy The Absintherie Bourbonnaise distillery opened its doors on May 17, 2011, to coincide with the repeal of the French Absinthe Prohibition Act of 1915. The primary goal of the owner of the distillery is to revive authentic absinthe recipes and to ioffer contract distillation to client's own recipes.

Absintherie Bourbonnaise was established by absintheur Phil Fumoux whose previous activities have included collecting and selling absinthe antiques and creating the 'Frenchman' range of replica absinthe items.

Question: Which ‘A’ is a liqueur originally distilled from wine and wormwood?
Answer: Absinthe